NEWS / MEDIA

April 7, 2016

Dear MAA Membership,

The first quarter of 2016 is now behind us. Wow, has it been busy. The 11th Annual Missouri ICE Spring Break Conference is April 26th – 28th, 2016. The planning and preparations are going well and I am very excited about this year’s speakers and topics. Preparations for the MAA Manager and Board Member Training June 30th and July 1st are underway. The planning for the Missouri EMS Conference & Expo July 26th – 29th is finishing up. The MAA, in partnership with MEMSA is working hard to bring outstanding speakers and topics to you right here at home in Missouri.The MAA’s website has been redesigned and launched. Please take some time to check it out: http://www.moambulance.org/ Thank you to Cody Danuser from Marion County Ambulance District for taking on this task. He has done an outstanding job with the website. Work on this year’s legislative agenda has been fast and furious. We have had many successes and continue to make progress on critical issues including the FRA renewal, LODD benefits, 911 Bill, EMS Interstate Compact, CPR in schools, GEMT, finger printing background checks, and psychiatric patient transfer, safety, and liability. We are continuing to be engaged in the development of regulations regarding community paramedics, the process for veteran medics to transition to civilian EMS, and the CAAS and NFPA ambulance standards. In order to achieve success in both our educational offerings and our legislative agenda it requires the time and passionate engagement of people. I would like to offer a special note of appreciation for the outstanding work of Brent Hemphill & Associates in the lobbying activities. There is a great deal of activity that occurs behind the scene by Brent and his team. Our lobbying efforts cannot succeed without the involvement of real, hometown EMS folks. The greatest influence on our elected officials occurs when you engage them directly. Letter writing, emails, phone calls and personal visits are the key to winning a legislator to our cause.The first quarter of the year is over but there is much more to come. I look forward to seeing everyone at the ICE Spring Break Conference is April 26th – 28th.